Comfort
by Izout
Summary: After another mean streak from his dad, Chris goes to the tree house to get some alone time, only to discover an unlikely source of comfort in the form of Vern. Then things start getting weird. Chris/Vern Slash.


Disclaimer: Not mines, don't sue.

A/N: I will admit, I've had some second thoughts about pairing. I've never really thought about it, plus if we're being honest with ourselves, Chris gets laid = 99% of Stand By Me fanfiction right there and like heck I'm going to contribute to it. But, you know, maybe this pairing could work, as long as one doesn't try to turn it into Gordie/Chris 2.0 (_You know_ the kind I'm talking about). But, enough of my rambling, happy readings!

* * *

A recently bruised Chris Chambers was grumbling as he was making his way to the tree house. His dad was, yet again, on another mean streak, this time taking his frustration out on his son when he found out he was out of vodka and accuse Chris of doing it. Why he thought a twelve year old boy would try to drink vodka, he had no idea. Plus taking a whiff of the stuff, it smelled and probably tasted nasty. Luckily, Chris was able to make it with only a couple of bruises and a split lip when his father turned around and saw Eyeball was drinking the rest of the vodka and then decided to take out his frustration on _him_.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Chris climbed up the latter and opened the trapdoor. Once inside, he discovered that he wasn't alone.

"Vern?" Chris asked, causing the portly boy to jump, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh uh," stammered the other boy, "Uh, what are _you_ doing here?" He question back.

"I asked first."

"Oh yeah, I guess you did." Vern said conceding. "I wasn't up to anything no good, sincerely, I just needed to get away from it all, you know?"

"Y-Yeah." Chris agreed, surprised that Vern's reasons was the same as his. Chris went to sit down on the couch; the two didn't say anything to each other for a bit, until Chris spoke up, "So, what did you need to get away from?"

"Well…" Vern trailed off, "My mom had gotten on me again for not making up my bed again. But I say, why make up your bed when you're only going to get back in it, you know? And then I found out Billy and Charlie Hogan had ate the last of the leftover chicken my mom had cooked, so I had nothing to eat. And then dad came home and hogged the TV again. How am I suppose to watch any of my favorite shows when he spends all night watching _Father Knows Best_? Well, that's my reasons, you?"

Chris stared at Vern in shock, surprised and rather refreshed by how…. normal Vern's problems always seem to be. In a way, he envied it. Most normal kids, like Vern, only has to worry about things like having to make their own room up, or having to make sure they are not so much as one minute late from their curfew, or even having parents to smother them.

He has to deal with a father who will beat him for almost anything, an older brother who hangs out with the biggest asshole in Castle Rock, and who does nothing whenever said assholes gets on him, and a whole town thinking that he's nothing short of dirt. Sometimes he hated being a Chambers.

"Chris?" Vern asked again, snapping him from his thoughts.

"What?"

"I said, 'Well, that's my reasons, you?'"

"Oh." Was all Chris could say. They both stared at each other, blue locked on blue, and Chris found himself surprised by how he never notice how blue Vern's eyes were. Girls and his mother would always tell him that they thought his eyes were pretty, but personally now, he thought Vern's were prettier than his. They were a more darker shade of blue than his and would light up whenever he was excited about something or when he was curious about something.

Chris found himself staring into those blues so long that he was almost seemed mesmerized by them, eventually snapping out of it.

"Oh, um, you know, my dad was on another mean streak." He answered simply. Vern took a look over him and cringed at the sight.

"Does it hurt?" The other boy asked innocently. Chris merely shrugged.

"Not really. Well, not as much as it usually does. I actually got off pretty light this time."

"Hey Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we friends?" This question surprised Chris to say the least.

"What? Yeah we are, why would you ask something like that?"

"It's just…" Vern started, "You never seem to talk about your problems with me or Teddy. You usually either talk about them with Gordie, or you go off somewhere off to mope."

"What the hell are you talking about, Verno, I do not."

"Do too."

"Bullshit."

"Bulltrue!" Vern shot back, and Chris couldn't help but smile at what Vern just said since he said the same thing to Gordie when they were talking about his future while looking for Ray Brower.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Vern asked him, "You don't have to lie, I know you do. I've seen the way you look at me whenever I ask a question that should be obvious or when I do something silly. I guess you figure you can't talk about anything serious with me. I get why you wouldn't talk about serious stuff with Teddy, he's crazy, but me? You probably think I wouldn't understand or that I'm too immature." Vern said solemnly, resting his chin on his knuckle.

Chris couldn't help but feel ashamed right now, because everything Vern had said had been correct. Up until now, Chris never knew how much smarter Vern was then he let on. He never thought he could have a serious conversation with him, always figured he couldn't talk about anything more complicated then different cartoons or which type of candy he liked. Chris really felt like an ass right now. Here Vern was, attempting to reach out to him, and he completely just shooed it away.

"I'm sorry Vern," Chris said, "I just didn't… I just didn't think…." Chris trailed off, not sure the right way to phrase his sentence. Vern just made his way over to the couch and sat next to Chris.

"Chris, I'm your friend too, you shouldn't have to feel alone or that there isn't anyone else to talk too, sincerely, I'm here for you. We all are." Vern explained to him, giving him the sweetest smile he could.

Chris stared at him for a few seconds, before enveloping him into a hug, squeezing him tighter.

"Chris?" Vern squeaked out, "Chris, too tight." But Chris didn't hear him, and just hugged him further, sinking himself into the embrace. Eventually. The warmth of Vern's body got to him, he felt a sense of peace, and then, looked Vern in the eye.

"Thanks man." And then did something that shocked the hell out of Vern, Chris pressed his lips to his! Vern stiffened, the kiss the gentle but had a thorough intention to it. Within seconds, Chris pulled back, and realization washed over him as he realized what he had done. "Vern? "Verno, it wasn't-."

"Yeah, uh, I got to go!" Vern quickly said, pointing his thumb outwards before making his way to the trapdoor.

"Yeah, um, see you tomorrow?" Chris asked, his voice breaking towards the end of his sentence.

"Yeah, sure." Was all Vern said as he open the door, and climbed down the latter, shutting it behind.

Chris just stared at where Vern had previously been before looking out the window.

_What the fuck just came over me?_

**The End.**

* * *

All that's left is Gordie/Vern and then there will have been _at least_ one slash fic for all the boys. Neat-o! :D


End file.
